Due to the relatively high cost of ammunition, many gun owners prefer reloading their own bullet cases rather than purchasing new bullets. When a bullet is fired, the explosion in the case causes the case to expand, especially the neck of the case. To be reused, the case neck must be shrunken to the proper size so that a new projectile can be snugly fit within the case neck.
Reloading requires the use of a press and a sizing die, the press and the die being used to resize the neck of the case. The conventional press includes a stationary die holder and a case holder positioned under the die holder and movable with respect to the same when a press handle is actuated. The sizing die is securely mounted to the die holder of the press and includes a die body having a bore running through the longitudinal axis thereof, a collar threadably engaging the die body and for adjusting the position of the die, a depth nut threadably engaging the die body and a sizing rod. The depth nut includes a threaded hole extending through the longitudinal axis thereof. The sizing rod is an elongated member threaded on the upper portion thereof and having a primer pin and a sizer on the lower portion thereof. The rod threadably engages the depth nut and is positioned within the bore of the die body. In this manner, the depth nut functions to adjust the depth of the sizing rod in the die body. In addition, a lock nut is threaded onto the top of the sizing rod to prevent rotation of the depth nut.
To resize the case neck, the case is positioned in the case holder of the press, with the case holder securely engaging an inwardly directed flange of the case located at the rear portion thereof. The press handle is then actuated to move the case up and into the sizing die. As the case moves into the sizing die, the primer pin and the sizer slide through the neck of the case and into the body of the same. Further extension of the case into the die causes the primer pin to "knock out" a fired primer pack located at the rear portion of the case and the inside wall of the die body to engage the outer portion of the case neck to thereby squeeze or shrink the same to a slightly over-shrunken size. The press handle is then reactuated to bring the case down and out of the sizing die. After overshrinking, the circumference of the neck is slightly less than that of the sizer. Thus, as the case is brought out of the die, the sizer passes through the neck to expand the same to the proper size. The case is then ready to be reloaded with new primer, new powder and a new projectile.
A common occurrence in reloading is severe overshrinking of the case neck during resizing of the same. When this occurs, as the case is brought out of the die body, the sizer becomes stuck on the shoulder of the case. Thus, as the case holder of the press moves downwardly, the flange of the case is stripped resulting in the case becoming stuck within the sizing die. Since the flange has been stripped, there is nothing for the case holder to grip onto to have the necessary leverage to remove the case. Furthermore, manual pulling, for example with a pair of pliers, on the top porition of the sizing rod will not work to pull the sizer up through the neck of the case for want of the necessary leverage.
To remove the case from the sizing die, known types of stuck case removers have been employed. Utilization of these devices, however, is tedious, time consuming and may result in damage to the sizing die. One type of known device includes a hollow cylindrical body having an open bottom axial end and an apertured top axial end, a screw and a wrench. In addition, the stuck case remover must be used in conjunction with a vise, a drill, a threading tap and a saw. To remove a case stuck in a sizing die, the user must first remove the depth and lock nuts from the sizing rod of the die. The sizing rod must then be pulled upwardly until the sizer engages the inside wall of the shoulder of the case. The die is then disassembled from the press and subsequently positioned upside down in a vise and held firmly between the clamping jaws of the vise. Next, a hole must be drilled directly through the rear axial end of the case. This step almost always results in damage to the primer pin positioned within the interior of the case in that when the hole is drilled through the rear end of the case the drill bit advances downwardly and strikes the primer pin. The tap is then used to thread the hole. Subsequently, the hollow body is placed over the rear end of the case and the screw is placed through the aperture in the body and threaded, by use of the wrench, into the hole in the case. By the action of the wrench, the case is then pulled out about one-half inch from the die body. The saw is then used to cut the case into two pieces at the rear portion of the case. Finally, the sizing rod, along with the sizer and primer pin, is pulled out of the sizing die through the rear axial end of the case. The die is then ready to resize another case after the die is reassembled and repositioned within the press.